From an unexpected heart failure diagnosis to life-saving surgery, Richard Moss’ journey is marked by his deep faith, a strong family support system and the expert care he received at St. Francis Health.
An Unexpected Diagnosis
After contracting COVID-19 for the second time in early 2024, Richard started experiencing severe breathing difficulties.
“I couldn’t breathe at night. I started hearing this weird wheezing, like an old screen door creaking,” Richard recalls. “I didn’t say anything about it for weeks, but it got worse, and I had to sleep sitting up.”
Still, he brushed it off, not thinking much of it. It was only when his family’s history of lung cancer came into play that Richard decided to seek medical attention in March 2024.
“I went to the hospital and got X-rays,” he says. “They didn’t find a mass, but they did find out I was in heart failure.”
Trusting the Experts – The Path to Life-Saving Surgery
After the heart failure diagnosis, Richard’s journey led him to St. Francis Health.
His wife, Angela Littleton Moss, LPN, works as a telemetry nurse at St. Francis and knew exactly who to trust. She advocated for Richard to receive care at the hospital where she works. “They took care of me like family,” he says.
Cardiothoracic surgeon Sarah Ahmad, MD, and interventional cardiologist Nauman Khalid, MD, a husband-and-wife team at St. Francis, became key members of Richard’s care team.
“When Angela spoke to other doctors she knew at the hospital, they said, ‘You’ll be good, they’re really good too,’” Richard says. “And that gave us confidence.”
Twenty-four hours into Richard’s diagnosis, Dr. Ahmad was consulted and rounded on Richard.
“I will never forget Dr. Ahmad’s words,” Angela remembers. “’He is very sick and needs surgery. But, if I do surgery on him now, he will not live because his heart is very weak.’” Richard’s only option at that time was to begin medication to prepare his heart for surgery.
After Richard was optimized on heart failure medications, Dr. Ahmad recommended a modified Bentall procedure, a complex surgery to repair Richard’s ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm.
Despite his fears about hospitals and medical procedures, Richard trusted the process. “I’m a God-fearing man,” he explains. “I trust in Him, and I trusted the team that was taking care of me.”
The Road to Recovery
Dr. Ahmad performed Richard’s surgery on August 13, 2024, and he spent four days recovering.
“I’m not great when it comes to hospitals and needles, but I just laid down and trusted everything would be OK,” he says. “I believe Dr. Ahmad and Dr. Khalid are earthly vessels for God, and I’m so thankful for them.”
His recovery was swift, and soon Richard was breathing easier and feeling better.
“I can breathe with my mouth closed now — that’s a big flex for me,” Richard says, reflecting on how far he has come. “Physically, I feel better, and I’ve been following Dr. Ahmad’s advice to not pick up heavy things at work and take things easy.”
Richard’s Advice to Others
Now, Richard is more aware than ever of the importance of taking care of his health.
“It’s important to know your family history,” he says. “I didn’t know about the high blood pressure in my family until everything came out. High blood pressure runs really high on the Moss side of the family, and that was an eye-opener for me.”
Reflecting on his family’s eating habits, Richard says, “We’d be sitting at the dinner table, shaking salt with the left hand and blood pressure pills with the right.” This stark realization has motivated him to take his health more seriously.
His advice is simple but powerful: “Take care of yourself, get checked regularly, and don’t ignore your health. I’m doing better now, but I wish I’d taken better care of myself before.”
Grateful for His Care Team
At St. Francis Health, we’re not just about treating patients — we’re about caring for the whole person. Richard’s story is a testament to that care. Reflecting on his experience, Richard expressed deep gratitude for his wife’s role in his recovery.
“She’s a great nurse, and she made sure I got the best care,” Richard says. “She’s my biggest cheerleader, and she took care of me just as much as the doctors did.”
For Richard, getting back to his family was just as important as his own recovery. His wife Angela, his 25-year-old daughter, 26-year-old and 11-year-old stepsons, and their three foster children, energetic 5-year-old twins and their 9-year-old sister, became his motivation to heal quickly.
Through the expertise of Dr. Ahmad, Dr. Khalid and the care team at St. Francis, Richard has overcome the odds and is back to living his life with a renewed sense of purpose.
